The Prodigy – Charly

How good does this sound? I think the Vaselines has set me off on some sort of retro buzz and suddenly (we take a trip to trumpton) historic sonic adventures are beginning to take my brain to another dimension. I must admit I always preferred the early incarnation of the Prodigy, before they got all serious while at the same time started to make bucketloads of dosh. Their debut album ‘Experience’ came at the back end of acid/rave when the best selling compilations often included a not too clever use of the words ‘Generation’ and ‘Rave’. ‘Charly’ (a colloquial name for cocaine, hey at least they weren’t doing E) sampled a children’s education programme over a wildly erratic synth swirl and a deliciously baggy beat. Given that it was released 17 years ago this old dear doesn’t sound too arthritic, in fact given the right circumstances it may even propel the odd youngster into something resembling minor movement. KD

Ro: I dictinctly remember when I heard Jilted for the first time and thinking, blast they’ve gone and grown up.WMV: Lay off those videos, they’re affecting your capacity for underground love.Anon: Pretty soon we’ll be raving again, but this time with restraints and nice orderlies instead of glow sticks and tabs.

WMV: I saw them back in 96 and they were class but saw them again a few months ago at oxegen and was, to be kind, underwhelmedHugger: Will have to dig out Experience and Jilted to see how they hold up – you cant tell me you didnt love voodoo people, break and enter, one love, no good, poison?? Jesus, im itchin to give it another play now